The first Zen Pinball gave us a fanciful spin on the pinball game, with tight controls, stylish visuals, and the kind of tables you won’t find down your local arcade. Thankfully the sequel promises more of the same, with cross-platform support for Vita and an eye-watering 26 tables available at launch.

2. One Piece Pirate Warriors (PS3) 21st Sep

Tecmo-Koei’s anime brawler finally gets a European release this September, having come out in Japan near the start of the year. Taking its cue from the Dynasty Warriors series, One Piece Pirate Warriors let’s you enjoy the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and crew through the age-old medium of punching armies of goons repeatedly in the face.

3. Tokyo Jungle (PSN) 26th Sep

Probably the strangest survival game you’ll ever play, Tokyo Jungle puts you in the paws of a variety of feral animals, from dogs to dinosaurs. The mean streets of a deserted Tokyo are overrun with the creatures, and you have to fight, feed, and breed your way to the top of the food chain.

4. Warrior’s Lair (PS3/PS Vita) Sep 2012

Cross-platform dungeon crawling is coming to a console near you soon. Warrior’s Lair should stifle any Diablo cravings you might be having, offering up crumbling tombs to explore, vicious monsters to be slain, and rare treasures to claim. Competitive and co-operative play between PS3 and Vita will also give you and your mates plenty of opportunity for memorable adventures, no matter where you are.

5. Way of the Samurai 3 (PS3) 5th Oct

The latest entry in Spike’s free-roaming slash ‘em up series give you more freedom than ever before. Take on the role of a wandering samurai and play the town’s various factions against each other, enjoying the game’s surreal sense of humour and a multitude of possible endings.

6. Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation (PS Vita) 30th Oct

Launching alongside Assassin’s Creed 3 comes the Vita exclusive Assassin’s Creed Liberation. Taking on the role of female assassin Aveline, you’ll be able to use the Vita’s touchscreen controls and gyroscope to make combat better than ever. Plus, connect it to the console version and you’ll be treated to even more content. Guaranteed to make Vita owners very happy.

7. Silent Hill: Book of Memories (PS Vita) Oct 2012

Another Vita exclusive, Book of Memories is a complete departure from the established Silent Hill formula. With a strong focus on co-operative multiplayer rather than solo psychological horror, and a plot revolving around a book that can change the past, this could be the refreshing change that the series has been crying out for.

8. LittleBigPlanet Karting (PS3) 9th Nov

A game that looks as charming as it does fun, LBP Karting will give us all the mental action of Mario Kart with the added bonus of a strong focus on user-generated content. What does that mean? Customised characters, multiplayer modes where you create the rules, and an infinite stream of created levels to race through. Time trials here we come.

9. Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale (PS3/PS Vita) 21st Nov

Sony’s take on the smashy multiplayer brawler, Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale, looks like it’ll be supremely manic fun. It’s also a great love-letter to Sony’s past, featuring characters and stages from some of the Playstation’s best-loved franchises. Cross-platform support with Vita rounds out what should become an instant post-pub classic.

10. Call of Duty Black Ops: Declassified (Vita) Nov 2012

A Vita-exclusive installment in the blockbuster Call Of Duty franchise should be something to get very excited about, although the early Gamescom reveal did look a tad shaky. The single player campaign promises to weave a thread through the console Black Ops games through spec ops style conflicts multiplayer battles. While it needs a brush up visually, Vita’s touchscreen controls might add a twist to the way you play.

11. Okami HD (PSN) Late 2012

Despite being one of the best adventure games of the last ten years, the original Okami sold approximately 24 copies. A re-release on the Wii didn’t fare much better, but in glorious HD on PS3, Okami’s finally found the home it deserves. Move support should make combat brushstrokes a cinch, and the luscious visuals have never looked better.

12. Wonderbook (PS3) Christmas 2012

Perhaps one of the most interesting projects Sony has ever announced, Wonderbook takes storytelling to another level. Using the Playstation Move to produce an augmented-reality story for children to play through, the results are magical. And with an exclusive tie-in deal with JK Rowling, this is sure to make a lot of children very happy this Christmas.

13. Dust 514 (PS3) Late 2012

Dust 514 is an upcoming console based FPS that takes place within the expansive universe of cerebral PC MMORPG Eve Online. Shooty multiplayer action is the focus here rather than galactic exploration, and you’re more likely to have someone attempt to shoot you in the face than offer to trade supplies, but the option is at least there. Sure to be mental competitive fun.

14. Ratchet & Clank: QForce (PS3/PS Vita) Late 2012

Celebrating Ratchet & Clank’s ten year anniversary, QForce (known in the ‘States as Full-frontal assault, which sounds a bit dodgy) adds a tower-defence spin on the popular platforming franchise. Building and defending bases is key, and with the series’ famous arsenal of fantastic weaponry returning, it promises to be fun as hell.

15. The Unfinished Swan (PSN) Late 2012

It started life as a humble tech demo, but four years down the line The Unfinished Swan is getting a full release on PSN. Set to be one of the most striking games on Playstation, the eerie game world is uncovered bit by bit as black paint convincingly splatters over an empty white canvas, and sound cues uncover further mysteries. Set to be an adventure unlike any other.

16. Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (PS3) 25th Jan 2013

An adventure RPG about a young boy with magical powers, Ni No Kuni is distinguished by having been created in conjunction with famed animation masters Studio Ghibli. Their sumptuous artwork makes the game feel like one of their films come to life, as you flit between parallel worlds in a quest to find your mother.

17. Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PS3/PS Vita) Feb 2013

The latest in the Sly Cooper series, Thieves in Time sees you sleuthing your way through the past in search of a mysterious book. A recently announced cross-buy promotion will see buyers of the PS3 version gifted the Vita version as well, meaning that you’ll be able to continue your stealthy hunt on the move, in true Sly style.

18. Phantasy Star Online 2 (PS Vita) Feb 2013

The father franchise of online console gaming finally returns with Phantasy Star Online 2, finding its natural home on Vita. This handheld version will be unique in utilising Vita’s revolutionary controls for combat, communication, and questing. If PSO2 proves to be even half as addictive as the Dreamcast original, expect to kiss days of your life goodbye.

19. Guacamelee! (PS3/PS Vita) Early 2013

Guacamelee(!) is a Mexican-set, Metroidvania-style 2D adventure, that will have you hopping between the lands of the living and dead in a quest to rescue El Presidente’s kidnapped daughter. Developed as part of Sony’s Pub Fund, Guacamelee(!) will see simultaneous releases on both PS3 and Vita, supposedly utilising the unique features of each console.

20. God Of War: Ascension (PS3) 12th March 2013

This is where it all began for Kratos. Ascension is a prequel to the whole series, telling the story of how the Ghost of Sparta first severed ties his ties with Ares. Featuring a revamped combat system, Ascension also brings in a multiplayer mode for the first time, which should make for some extra bloody battles between friends.

21. New Little King’s Story (PS Vita) Summer 2013

The sequel to the somewhat overlooked classic RPG, New Little King’s Story is already looking like a completely charming addition to the Vita catalogue. Young King Corobo will be defending his kingdom against an evil known only as “The Nightmare”, which sounds ominous. At least the new visual style looks absolutely lush.

22. Dragon’s Crown (PS3/PS Vita) Summer 2013

Taking its cue from arcade classics like Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, and Gauntlet, Dragon’s Crown looks like pure action fantasy. Pick a class, gather up some mates, and head off into some dark caverns to cave monsters’ heads in with an axe. Chuck in online multiplayer and a truly gorgeous art style, and what more could you want?

23. Rain (PSN) 2013

Another fascinating title announced at this year’s Gamescom, Rain tells the story of a boy who one days wakes to find that he’s turned invisible. Lost in a mysterious world, his form can only be seen in the pouring rain. There are strong shades of Ico behind this adventure; and the washed out watercolour-inspired visuals give it a bleak and gentle look. Compellingly beautiful.

24. Beyond: Two Souls (PS3) 2013

Beyond was one of the real hits of this year’s E3, blowing everyone away with its stunning motion capture and foreboding atmosphere. Director David Cage is notorious for his cinematic approach to game design, and this is perhaps his most ambitious project yet. It’s telling that despite knowing next to nothing about it, Beyond is easily one of our most anticipated PS3 games.

25. The Last of Us (PS3) 2013

Another E3 hit, The Last of Us is about as far away from Naughty Dog’s popcorn-fuelled Uncharted series as you can get. Painting a harrowing picture of human behaviour and morality in a post-apocalyptic world, you can expect The Last of Us to throw a whole load of difficult choices and brutal violence your way. Has the potential to redefine storytelling in games.

26. Killzone Mercenary (PS Vita) 2013

One of the Playstation’s biggest franchises finally hits Vita in the form of Killzone Mercenary. Debuting at Gamescom, we don’t yet know much about the latest game in the Killzone franchise, apart from the fact that you can choose to side with either the ISI or the Helghasta and complete missions for cold hard cash. There’s also some interesting touchscreen gameplay with swipey stabbing and tap-happy gadgets.

27. Puppeteer (PS3) 2013

Freshly announced at Gamescom, Puppeteer immediately turned heads with its toybox-inspired art style and dark atmosphere. It’ll tell the story of the young puppet boy Kutaro, who’s on a quest to recover his stolen head with the aid of a pair of magical scissors. It looks and sounds like the kind of brilliance a manic child might come up with. One to watch.

28. Until Dawn (PS3) 2013

Until Dawn looks like one of the most interesting things to happen to survival horror in a long time. A fairly typical slasher story of teenagers running around scary locations in the dark, it really wears a B-Movie heart on its sleeve. But what grabs our attention is the move controls, which opens up potential for all sorts of torch-wavy, hand-grabby horror.

29. Tearaway (PS Vita) 2013

Another cute platformer just loaded with imagination, Tearaway looks like it could be brilliantly charming and innovative. On Vita we can expect a whole lot of touch-screen based paper ripping action, which will no doubt lead to all kinds of fun puzzles and lighthearted combat. Another Vita classic in the making.

30. Final Fantasy Versus XIII (PS3) TBA

Square-Enix’s action-RPG was announced six long years ago at E3 2006, and has since enjoyed a series of delays, issues, and rumours of cancellation. Despite all that, Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada announced that it was still in development earlier this summer. So what next? Well Final Fantasy is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, so don’t be surprised if we hear more in the near future.

31. Agent (PS3) TBA

Rockstar’s (probably) stealth title made a big splash when it was announced back in 2007 and since then we’ve pretty much heard the square root of nothing about Agent. Whether or not it’s still in development is up for debate, but we know that Rockstar have been busy putting together GTA 5 for a while. Given how secretive they are about reveals, we might well see more of Agent after GTA hits.

The Last Guardian (PS3) TBA

Is there really any game more anticipated than The Last Guardian? Team Ico’s follow-up project to Shadow of the Colossus has been stuck in limbo for about three years, leading some of us to question whether we’d ever see it. Sony recently confirmed The Last Guardian is still in development; and if it sees the light of day within the next couple of years, the PS3 might have its perfect swansong.

Is it just me or the state of the AAA releases for the PS3 at the end of 2012 is just about the worst they've had since ... ever?

Everything seems to be relying on LBP Karting, Ratchet & Clank QForce and The All Star Battle Royale...
Unless Sony is gambling a lot on Dust 514 and Wonderbook?

Nothing for me, I just hope it won't be a big Crash & Burn for Sony...

So many games pushed to 2013 (or in MIA status now) that I wanted:
Ni No Kuni, The Last Guardian (MIA), The Last of Us, FF vs XIII (MIA), Agent (Vaporware?)...

Sony looks to have a busy 2013 so far (adding GoW: Ascension, Beyond: 2 Souls, and Sly Cooper), but 2012 has -imo- been a bust on exclusive AAA games for the PS3.

Yep, it's slim pickings, but thats what happens at this point in a consoles life cycle. Most of the best teams are hard at work on next gen titles, a few are still hard at work on PS3s final huzza (Beyond, Last of Us etc) and the rest of the games from now on will be aimed squarely at the family and kids.

This is why the sooner PS4 comes out the better. PS3 will soon be awash with z list games, cheap cash ins and children centric games whilst all the big boys sail off into the next gen horizon.

Just checked out the trailer for Tokyo Jungle; I like its potential. Come on: where else are you going to see a kangaroo attacking a tiger??!?! I am curious as to what a pack of chicks are going to do against a hyena or lion though.

The Last Guardian, last I heard, does exist, but seems to be having huge internal development issues. Hopefully it fares more like L.A. Noire than Duke Nukem Forever or Daikatana.

Quote:

I highly, highly doubt Unfinished Swan releases this fall. Seems like a game ripe for a spring fever release time frame like Journey.

The last time I saw anything about Unfinished Swan, it looked really... well... unfinished. The concept is brilliant, but the gameplay looked tedious. Hopefully they've taken some time to make it more of a game than a 3D connect-the-dots.

I'm really looking forward to Tearaway, Puppeteer, The Last of Us, and Ni No Kuni, and most of the other games at least have my attention aside from Killzone.

Zen Pinball 2
Warrior's Lair
PS All Stars
GoW: Ascension
Dragon's Crown
Killzone Mercenary (if they fix the multiplayer problems from 3 and bring back the server browser)
Tearaway
Soul Sacrifice (seeing as it was forgotten from the list)

Avoiding:

CoD: Declassified (at first I was interested in a portable CoD...but then I saw the gameplay footage...and then the dev. Oooh boy)
The Last of Us (nothing about this title screams intresting in my books. I don't know how these kinds of games interest people when much of the single player is scripted)
Probably Beyond: Two Souls (that dev money could have kept Studio Liverpool alive, if you think about it)

"BART SIMPSON, YE LITTLE BOLLOX, GET IN THERE AND WATCH KRISSY THE CLOWN!"-Marge Simpson (as stated by V1 of OSW Review)

My stance on Anime...I just can't understand any of it, everyone is either a 10 year old girl or a monster.